Chapter 91: Merchant NPC

Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Merchant NPC

This stuff is definitely good stuff!

There was no doubt about that, but the problem was... these materials...

Seraphina Sinclair glanced at it again and sighed helplessly. Other than the Essence Crystal, she had never seen any of the other materials.

And it required 100 Essence Crystals!

That was a full 100 of them, and it took three hundred crystals to even craft the final item.

Seraphina Sinclair sighed, unable to resist looking at the description in the trait column again.

’This thing is completely beyond the scope of ordinary weapons. It’s a killer weapon that comes with a Skill!’

’It’s too powerful! If only I could make it right now.’

Seraphina Sinclair reluctantly stroked the schematic a few times before putting it away.

’Can’t rush this.’

She turned her attention to the other item she had gotten from the rune box.

[Refined Long Saber (D-level)]

D-level?

Seraphina Sinclair was stunned. Why would a B-level rune box produce a D-level item?

’Doesn’t that just betray its B-level rating?’

’It seems the main item from this rune box was that weapon schematic. This long saber must be a bonus prize, right?’

’Something is better than nothing.’

Seraphina Sinclair shook her head and looked down at the item’s description.

[Description: A simple and unadorned Standard Long Knife. The blade is forged from crude steel and sharpened to a decent degree, but it lacks any special luster or pattern. The hilt is wrapped in worn leather that feels rough in the hand, a clear sign it has seen many battles. Overall, it is merely a serviceable weapon that grants the wielder an additional five points of Strength!]

’An extra five points of Strength!’

Seraphina Sinclair paused, then took out her own dagger from her Silver Moon Earrings.

Her dagger only granted two points, but it had a special "Slow" effect. Because of this, the long saber wasn’t a perfect replacement.

Seraphina Sinclair picked up the weapon and gave it a couple of practice swings. The feel of a long weapon like this was completely different from weapons like daggers and military knives.

Still, it was quite good.

Seraphina Sinclair placed the long saber and the dagger together, then took out her military knife to look at it.

’This thing’s completely useless now,’ she thought. ’Its stats were already worse than the dagger’s, and now it can’t even compare to the long saber.’

Seraphina Sinclair thought for a moment, then posted a small advertisement in the group chat.

[Blacktiger Ford]: Selling one E-level weapon. Looking for an equivalent trade! Item details below: foldable military knife.

"What? An E-level weapon?!!"

"If Master Blacktiger hadn’t posted it, I’d seriously think this was a scam!"

"No offense, but... for something like this, a weapon no less, wouldn’t you need to trade a D-level item for it?"

"The user above makes a sharp point. It’s a weapon, after all, which is incredibly rare. I really want it, but I already traded all my good stuff for info on the boss. I don’t have anything left to offer."

"+1, Master Blacktiger already conned me out of all my good stuff..."

’What do you mean, "conned"?’

’They were perfectly willing.’

’How ridiculous.’

Seraphina Sinclair grumbled to herself for a moment before closing the group chat window.

The ad was posted. Anyone who truly needed it would send her a private message.

Seraphina Sinclair stood up, stretched, and opened the Zone channel to take a look.

There were no new messages.

Besides, she was in a group chat now, and these people were the fastest at getting information. Basically, if there was any information worth noting in the Zone channel, they would discuss it in the group.

It had certainly made things much more convenient for Seraphina Sinclair.

Seraphina Sinclair glanced at the little red notification dot on her private messages, then took out some gasoline and Blank Talisman Paper to continue Drawing Fire Runes.

Previously, Seraphina Sinclair had always worked hunched over on the floor. Now that she had a stone table, she was naturally hunched over it instead.

If nothing else, this new posture was definitely much easier on her back and elbows.

Seraphina Sinclair focused her mind, calmed her breathing, and activated [Water Stopping] before she began making the runes.

She had only just used up two sheets of paper when she heard a knock on the door, accompanied by a complaining voice: "Hey! Why is there so much trash by your door? It stinks! It’s so disgusting!"

Seraphina Sinclair straightened up. Only after hearing the knock again did she realize she must have encountered a special NPC.

’Looks like moving earlier really paid off.’

Seraphina Sinclair put away her rune pen and gasoline, then got up to open the door.

The complaining voice didn’t stop, muttering, "Do you have any class? Just leaving minced flesh and bone fragments right by the door?"

’It’ll all be reset tomorrow anyway, and...’

’It’s outside, so it’s not like I can smell it. I’m all clean and smell great. Wouldn’t it be pointless to go out and deal with it now?’

’Who knew this special NPC would come to the front door, anyway?’

After grumbling to herself, Seraphina Sinclair yanked open the wooden door.

Standing outside the door was a little girl. She only came up to Seraphina Sinclair’s waist, had her hair tied up, and looked like a little pink fluffball.

Right then, this little pink fluffball had her hands on her hips, putting on an aggressive front. "Hey! You buying or not? They said you were a bigshot customer. Otherwise, with the state of your doorstep, I would’ve turned around and left immediately!"

Seraphina Sinclair looked down at this aggressive little fluffball and raised an eyebrow. "Buying something? You’re a merchant?"

The little girl puffed out her cheeks and stomped her foot. "Of course! I’m the most amazing Traveling Merchant in The Black Mist World! If I hadn’t heard you were rich, I never would have come to such a stinky place!"

Oh.

’Probably not human, then.’

’What a cunning monster, to choose such a disguise.’

Seraphina Sinclair leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "What do you sell?"

"Hmph!" The little girl snorted, then suddenly drew out her words. "Well, can I come in? You can’t expect me to display my treasures out here, can you?"

’Fair enough.’

Just in case, she used Insight on the little girl.

[Traveling Merchant 001]

[Description: A secret merchant wandering through The Black Mist World. This one has chosen to appear as a human child; the forms of other Traveling Merchants are unknown, as is its true form! As a system-certified rare Traveling Merchant, it will either spawn randomly at specific coordinates or appear at a survivor’s door to sell its carried items after the survivor meets certain criteria. It is harmless in its normal state, but if a survivor were to steal its belongings... Trust me, you wouldn’t want to know the consequences.]

’It really is a merchant NPC, and a harmless one at that.’

Without saying yes or no, Seraphina Sinclair simply stepped aside, making way for the girl.

The little girl immediately and carefully stepped over the pool of filth on the ground and entered the mobile hut.

Seraphina Sinclair glanced at the mess on the ground. It certainly smelled awful, but it would all reset tomorrow anyway.

She closed the door.

The little girl pulled a cloth sack bigger than herself from behind her back. With a great RATTLE, she dumped out a pile of items. She then spread the sack flat on the floor, arranged the items neatly one by one, and only then looked at Seraphina Sinclair. "Take a good look! These are treasures I’ve collected from all the different Zones!"

"The front row is the cheapest! The closer they get to me, the more expensive they are. So, come take a look! What’re you gonna buy?"